Hall of Famer, Olympic medalist Jack Davis passes away

Two-time Olympic silver medalist, former world record holder and National Track & Field Hall of Famer Jack Davis died peacefully Saturday at Mercy Hospital in San Diego, Calif. He was 81 years old.

Davis became one of the top hurdlers in the world during the 1950s in winning silver medals at both the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympic Games and garnered the top ranking in the world six different times in the 110-meter hurdles. On three different occasions in 1956 he established a world record – twice in the 120-yard hurdles and once in the 110m hurdles. For his standout career Davis was selected to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2004 as a veteran athlete. He recorded undefeated seasons in the 110m hurdles/120-yard hurdles in both 1953 and 1954.

Also displaying versatility as an athlete Davis won a total of six USA Outdoor and Olympic Trials titles in both the 120-yard and 220-yard hurdles.

Both Olympic silver medals for Davis were part of a historic run on the international scene where American men swept every Olympic medal in the 110m hurdles from 1948 through 1960.

A graduate of Glendale Hoover (Calif.) High School and the University of Southern California, Davis was a three-time NCAA 120-yard hurdles champion and the 1953 NCAA 220-yard hurdles champion. Davis was also a 2001 inductee of the USC Hall of Fame and one of the founding members of the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.